By Dale M. King
BOCA RATON – Only days after probing an incident of vandalism at a Boca Raton temple that police called a “hate crime,” three juveniles have been charged in connection with the incident.
Police spokeswoman Sandra Boonenberg said that on Feb. 16, Boca police officers stopped a group of juveniles near 800 South Federal Highway. Based on a conversation with these individuals, she said, Officers Patterson and Adams developed information which connected the juveniles to the vandalism at Temple Beth El the night before.
Police said anti-Semitic and racial vandalism was discovered Feb. 15 at the temple along with damage St. Joan of Arc Church across the street as well as the Boca Raton Cemetery just south of the two houses of worship.
Boonenberg said detectives interviewed the three suspects, all of whom cooperated with investigators and admitted to their involvement in the vandalism. These three suspects are being charged with criminal mischief, and one of them is charged with falsely pulling a fire alarm. Under Florida law, the names of these juveniles are not being released.
Officers who checked the temple the night of Feb. 15 found damage to the bathroom doors consisting of a swastika, “KKK”, “Hail Hitler” and a racial slur for blacks, all scratched into the paint, said police. Boonenberg said several chairs were broken when they were thrown from a third floor walkway and four vases were broken at the mausoleum.
Boca Raton Fire Rescue Services responded to a fire alarm in the education center. The fire captain told police they had been out to the temple several hours earlier for a pulled fire alarm, but while investigating the second call, they saw damage to several bathroom doors that hadn’t been there earlier.
The next day, said Boonenberg, the foreman of Hunter Construction said unknown suspects jumped the fence, pushed over a Port-O-Potty and also splashed glue on the floor inside a building under construction on St. Joan of Arc Church property on SW Third Avenue.
In another case, at the Boca Raton Cemetery on SW 4th Avenue, the caretaker reported several items were knocked over, including vases, trash cans, a fountain and a table.
The vandalism was decried by the Anti-Defamation League and by Rabbi Dan Levin of Temple Beth El.
Boonenberg said the investigation is ongoing and charges, including the enhanced penalty for a hate crime, may be pending.
Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Detective Scott Hanley at (561) 338-1344 or Palm Beach County Crime Stoppers at (800) 458-TIPS.